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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEIGHTON L. SHEARER, OF WEISER, IDAHO TERRITORY.

STIRRUP.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 346,174, dated July27, 1886.

Application filed May 5, 1886. Serial No. 201,177. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

.Be it known that I, LEIGHTON L. SHEARER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Weiser, in the county of Washington and Territory ofIdaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Stirrups; andIdo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of a stirrup constructedaccording to my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section taken throughthe strap'block, and Fig. 3 a detail sectional view showing amodification ofthe spring attachment.

The present invention has for its object to provide a satety'stirrupthat will effectually protect the rider on horseback from any accidentby disengaging the feet from the stirrnps when the rider is thrown fromthe saddle, thereby avoiding the danger of the rider being dragged bythe feet and injured by an ungovernable horse.

The invention therefore consists in a stirrup constructed substantiallyas shown in the drawings and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A B represent the two sections of thestirrup suitably hinged together, as shown, any well-known form ofhinge-connection being u'sed,as found desirable. The sections A B haveconnected to them near their upper ends a suitablyfornied strap-block,O, and guide-rods a for the strap, one end of said rods being attachedor fastened to the stirrupsection A, and the opposite ends to thestrap-b1ock G, as shown in Fig. 2. The block 0 is formed with one ormore chambers open at both ends to contain a spiral, rubber, or othersuitable spring, D. In Fig. 2 I have shown these springs as fast ened attheir ends to the stirrup-sectionsA B; but this is not essential, as anysuitable means hook and eye, as shown in Fig. 3. The upper end of thestirrup-section B is not fastened to.

the strap-block O,as is the section A, but simply held thereto by thespring-connection and stay or guide pin e, projecting from the end ofthe block and entering a hole in the movable section B. Any lateral andoutward pressure against the hinged section B by the foot of the ridersufficient to overcome the resistance of the spring will open thestirrup, disengaging the upper end of the hinged section with thestay-pin on the strap-block, thereby allowing the foot to be immediatelyreleased from the stirrup, the spring drawing the hinged section back inposition against the end of the strap block. The rods anpon each side ofthe block 0, through or between which the supportingstrap passes,preventthe strap from slipping outward and pressing the hinged section B offfrom the stay pin, also serve to prevent the stirrup from turning over.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

A riding-stirrup comprising a stationary and a hinged section andastrap-block secured to the stationary section, and having one or morechambers containing suitable springs connected by means,substantially asdescribed, to the hinged section of the stirrup, as set forth.

In testimony that I. claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

LEIGHTON L. SH EARER.

Witnesses:

D. P. MAEYATT, A. O. MITCHELL.

(No Model.) L. L. SHEARER.

' STIRRUP. No. 346,174. Patented July 27, 1886.

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